CURRENT-REGULATED POWER SUPPLY WITH SOFT-START PROTECTION
First Claim
1. A controller for regulating a supply of power provided from a current-regulated power supply to a load, the controller comprising:
- a current-regulation module connectable to monitor and regulate load current provided by the current-regulated power supply to the load, the current-regulation module having a normal mode of operation and a soft-start mode of operation; and
a mode-selection module connectable to monitor the load current, wherein the mode-selection module causes the current-regulation module to operate in the soft-start mode while the monitored load current is less than a threshold value, and causes the current-regulation module to operate in the normal mode of operation while the monitored load current is greater than a threshold value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A current-regulated power supply provides soft-start protection to prevent the generation of large in-rush currents. The current-regulated power supply includes a current regulation module that operates in either a soft-start mode of operation or a normal mode of operation and a mode selection module that makes mode of operation determinations. In particular, mode-selection module monitors the load current supplied to the attached load and maintains the current-regulation module in the soft-start mode of operation until the monitored load current exceeds a threshold value, at which time the mode-selection module causes the current regulation module to operate in the normal mode of operation.
24 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A controller for regulating a supply of power provided from a current-regulated power supply to a load, the controller comprising:
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a current-regulation module connectable to monitor and regulate load current provided by the current-regulated power supply to the load, the current-regulation module having a normal mode of operation and a soft-start mode of operation; and a mode-selection module connectable to monitor the load current, wherein the mode-selection module causes the current-regulation module to operate in the soft-start mode while the monitored load current is less than a threshold value, and causes the current-regulation module to operate in the normal mode of operation while the monitored load current is greater than a threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A current-regulated power supply comprising:
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an output circuit including a load having diode-like turn-on characteristics, a current-sense device connectable to monitor a load current, and a capacitor connected in parallel with a series combination of the load and the current-sense device; a controller connected to regulate current to the output circuit, the controller comprising; a current-regulation module connected to the current-sense device to regulate the load current, the current regulation module having a normal mode of operation and a soft-start mode of operation; and a mode-selection module connected to the current-sense device, wherein the mode-selection module causes the current-regulation module to operate in the soft-start mode of operation when the load is not conducting forward current and in the normal mode of operation when the load is conducting forward current. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of providing soft-start protection for a current-regulated power supply connected to supply power to a load, the method comprising:
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monitoring a load current provided by the current-regulated power supply to the load; operating a current-regulation module in a soft-start mode of operation until the monitored load current exceeds a mode-selection threshold value; and operating the current-regulation module in a normal mode of operation in response to the monitored load current exceeding the mode-selection threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification